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Hildretb and Local Color NOT n breath of air was stirring. In tli r writing-room of the St. Louis Club it was tifiingly hot, and for the twentieth time Hildreth mopped the perspiration from his fare. For the twentieth time, also, he glanced at I letter, lying; open before him. The occasion of his )ctplc.ity lay in this open letter, which ran tints: Dear Fred: I'm writing a detective yarn which calls lor a scene on the St. Louis levee. As I haven't ever, been in the city, I'm decidedly shy on local color. Bend me a few point1;, like the good old chap you al ways were, and I shall be Your eternally grateful Vcs. Ilildrcth's reply began blithely enough, like t!ii: Dear Wicksie: What in thunder do you think I know about the levee? As for its local color- But there he stuck. In vain he prodded t'i ink re ' till it danced. It was only after much mop-uuc lhat he proceeded: an unprejudiced observer might call it pretty black. And there he stuck again. He was still prodding, wping and muttering when Danforth looked in. Oh, it's you, is it?" drawled the newcomer. Thought I smcllcd something frying." IT'1lrcth smiled the lack-luter smile of the man who fc s funny to others. Tf you want to save my reason. Danforth," he c gcd, " tell me something about the levee." The levee! What in thunder " " I vc said that. And that it's dirty. What next?" ' Why I don't know. But," brightening up, " I'll V "olman does." ' Who's Tolman? " ' N friend of mine from up North. He's brought a pa e down here on a house-boat and I'm going down ' him to dine on board as soon as he finishes telephoning. Come out here and I'll introduce you as kcr after truth about the levee. He weighs two hundred and it's most all heart, so maybe he'll ask fou to go along." And it was even so. After feeble protests from Hil Ircth. into which he vainly endeavored to put some ackbonc, Tolman led the way to his touring car which vas waiting outside. " Perhaps I'd better own up," he said as they were ibout to start; "1 intended to do the bold buccaneer let and surprise Danforth by carrying him off: but I vn't treat you so unceremoniously, Mr. Ilildreth. l' " just telephoned the wharf-boat to have my crew .p steam. We'll go up the river this evening and ic ' ack here by nine or ten in the morning. If either sf ou want to send word to anybody, you can tcle plmnc from the Planters' on the way down." Danforth closed his eyes and leaned carefully back. "Don't wake me!" he whispered. "It's the first pleasant dream I've had this summer." "And you?" laughed Tolman, turning to Ilildreth. "It's too late to lose me!" was. the firm reply. " I've had a lifelong yearning to be carried off by pirates." So it was settled; and as the auto stemmed the tide of homeward traffic, Ilildreth idly wondered what sort of an experience was in store for him. At the hotel, Danforth disappeared in the telephone booth, from which he shortly emerged, breathing male diction, " I told you not to let me wake up! " he groaned, Here I've got to go to Chicago to-night! " Afterward, when Hildretb tried to account for the tontrctcmps at which he arrived, Danforth's failure to go with them that night loomed big as the begin ning of it all. Half-way down, Tolman pointed to two dazzingly jehitc boats, the house-boat in front, the steamboat )nuggling close behind it. Screen awnings, cool green Jnd white, were dropped on the sunny shoreward side ind a little breeze was lazily worrying a long pennant. Ilildreth drew a deep breath of pleasant anticipation. " This being carried off by pirates is all my fancy jainted it!" he remarked as they ran up a grooved pang-plank and nosed in between several other autos on the forecastle of the steamboat. " The staterooms over on the house-boat arc full," laid Tolman, as he led the way upstairs; "but here's a room and a bath where you can make the best of your captivity. I'll send a boy to sec what you need, and I'll come after you in time for dinner." Hildretb emitted the usual inarticulate mumbles as, In hospitable Western fashion, he was presented to person after person. When he finally took the place beside his bust, he retained but two facts out of the medley of introductions. The small boy was, his host's little ton Harold. That fact was not particularly in teresting, but at the thought of the other he shot a satisfied glance toward the opposite end of the table. It was the place where one would naturally expect to find the wife of one's ho.st; but Ilildreth recalled with satisfaction the words of their introduction in Tohuan's hearty voice: " Dolly, here's a prisoner I captured at the club. Mr. Hildretb, my cousin, Miss Neville." It went over and over in his mind. " My cousin, Miss Neville. My cousin, Miss Neville." Just then her brown ccs flashed him a smile and Ilildreth felt a little thrill explore every corner nf his being. If that afternoon, when he was struggling vainly to define the local color of the levee, anyliody had hinted that inside of two hours he would be going into a irrmor at a glance from a girl's laughing eyes, he would have scorned the prophecy Of course, the idea of love at first sight had sweet ened his salad days. Youth U prone fo sugar its lettuce, hut he had long ago abandoned such imma turity. Yet here he was, beaming upon his host and laying himself out to be engaging to his host's small boy, all because " Cousin " Dolly smiled at him from the other end of the table. Ilildreth was not one to scotn a means to an end: .md before dinner was half over small Harold was his slave, a victim to an invitation to an Indian encamp ment. When Tolman himself confessed to a weakness for Indians, and suggested that they all go together. Ilildreth tried to look as if his heart was not turning pleased somersaults within him. But it was. Meanwhile the two boats had slipped away from the levee and headed up-stream, bringing a cool tush of air in at the windows. " Ah-h-h-h! " said Tolman. " Now we begin to live! Dolly, what would you say to dessert on deck?" "I'd say, 'What a Hire place to meet you!'" and promptly pushing back her chair, Miss Neville led the way upstairs. From the steamboat behind them came the faint pulsations of the engine; but the house-boat itself moved as silciu'fy as if it were a great swan. Out of the tail of his eye, Ilildreth observed the best-looking man of the crowd maneuver Miss Neville into a sort ..f pocket, among the deck furnishings, which pocket the man immediately closed by seating himself at the pity. Ilildreth, however, merely ighed cohtentcdly as he took the vacated chair. "Judging from my sensations," he remarked, "I fear Mr. Jcnks is consigning me to depths I have al ways considered well, beneath me. I can generally gauge the depth I am sent to," he continued, " by the height to which my spirits rise; and from the way they arc climbing now, I think it must be the nether most limbo this time." " Oh, your spirit barometer is out of order," said Miss Neville, with r.uidor. "Mr. Jenks and Cousin George have been fussing all day about that auto. I tell them that when they are not in an automobile and swearing by it, they arc under one and swearing at it." "Then I'm to regard myself as a ministering angel-1" chuckled Hildretb. "A relief column, allowing Mi. Jcnks to gratify a consuming desire to go down and swear at the auto? 1 don't doubt the swearing, but " he shook his had. "By the way. Miss Ne ville, I may as well break it to you that I contemplate becoming a connection of yours. There is talk of your small cousin Harold's acquiring me by purchase." " If that's so,'' ki'.igl.cd Mis.; Ncwilc, " I may as well accept you at once as a member of the family." " It might save time," was the thoughtful reply, Hildretb planned all manner of possible and impos sible things as he lay in his berth that night And he surprised Dame Destiny by actually carrying out some Even in the clysium in which he had lived for the past week, lie had met occasional anxious fears, but not one of them had so much as whispered the name of Tolman! He had been too much absorbed by his own hope of happiness to give more than a passing thought to Tolman's bereavement or possible conso lation. He wondered if he were the only one in the party to whom it was not an open secret. There was Jcnks. Could it be that to Jenks, too, Harold's remarks had been a revelation? Or had his supposed rival been in the secret all the time? Hildrtth looked at him, but, either from delkacy or from embarrassment, Jenks had turned away. As they started back to the boat, Hildreth-trylnr; not to be too precipitatemanaged to pronounce a question: " How long since Tolman lost bis wife?" " Oh, not very long," said Jenks, after a moment. "The boy "Hildretb indicated Harold, who was flattening his already sufficiently nub nose against a shop window "the boy says Miss Neville is to be his ' his second mamma.' " " Yc, I believe that's all settled," laughed Jenks. Then, with unexpected consideration, he changed the subject and finally made an excuse to gosback to the fair, taking Harold with him. Ilildreth, glad of any respite, struck blind!yjoff into wt s - FRANTICALLY WAVINC, HER HANnKFRCHIF.F AT IMF. TWO liOAIS WHICH HAD CIONF. ON HOWS' THE STREAM entrance. There was a moment when Hildretb might have defeated the maneuver, but he stuck grimly to his host's vicinity. It would be daylight for a good hour yet! So, letting the man make the most of his little tri umph, Ilildreth took a hint out of Shakcsncaie and attached young Harold and therefore young Haloid's papa to his side with hooks of steel by telling tales of his Nebraska ranch. Gradually the slowly drifting panorama of the sboics grew dim. And having ex tracted a rchirtant gnod-nigbt from the rapt Harold, Tolman disappeared with him down the gangway. "Don't forget iu prayers!" called a baldish young man who b.ul joined tlv group. And to Hildrcth he added. " Make model ' wddv man,' doesn't he? Always has tbe little chap next to him at the tabic, puts bim to bed. and hardly let him out of his siei'i. By the way, sn aking of ranches, did you ever f.sn across any of the P,ar Circle outfit? " The two men were still deep in ranch talk when Tol man came back. " You don't happen to be for sale, do yon? " he said, smiling down at Ilildreth. "The way that boy of mine coets you makes nic tremble for the rest of tbe commandments when he get1- around to them," Hildretb experienced the pious satisfaction of the chess player who has made a good opening. "I'm his to command," he laughed. "I'm afraid 1 shall by no means stand so high, though, in Miss Neville's opinion," he added. " I'd like very much to ' make my manners ' to her, but cr the situation re minds one of tbe cot king of Santiago harbor, and a non-combatant feels a natural hesitation about living to lift the blockade." " Humph!" said Tolman, peering through the dusk, " I guess I'm enough of a combatant to take a hand. You come with me." The houcc-boat's Apollo his name turned out to be Jenks glanced up at their approach, and when Tol man asked bin to take a look at one of the aittos he professed a willingness which was abnormally cheer ful, lint there was a lingering quality about his de parture which would have stirred almost anybody to of these plans during the next few days Perhaps his audacity rather pleased her, ior she gave him such a lift as he had not dared dream of. " Is that you?" the voice of Tolman called over the telephone one day. ''It your yearning for a piratical eareci is sti!l unsatisfied, we wmt you to go off with us for a htt'e trip. Can you go? " "Can I?" Hildrcth replied in tones which made the telephone buzz. "If you go without me, I'll eciuc after you, if ! have to sv.im," As tiie boats meandered up the Mississippi and along ihe byways of the Illinois, Ilildreth would listm wsti; a very good imitation of attention to Tohuan's hits o: information, but the only geographical fact which leaPv penetrated his consciousness was his near ness to Mis; Neville. Occasionally also, he was made aw.ire of Apollo Jenk's proximity bv the rather il! ionccalcd animosity of tl...t ind'v tibial. Wh-'n they had landed at Peoria, Jcnks was invited to iiMi Harold and Ilildreth in making the rounds of r. street fair. He proved to he a good deal of a death's head at the frast, but Harold made un for that by moving in a trance of rapture. "My!" he exclaimed, when he came face to face with the glotics of the shooting gallery, "I wish Cousin Doily was here!" Hildrcth's heart warmed to the boy. "You're pretty fond of your cousin, aren't you?" he said with a benignant smile. "Yep!" was the succinct reply. "She's goin' to he my second mamma." "What!" Hildrcth exclaimed before h- could stop himself. " She's goin' to he my second mamma," calmly re peated Harold before losing himself in the joy of sighting along a rille barrel held by the suddenly as siduous Jcnks. Of course, thcic is no such phenomenon in nature as that a man's mind should sit down in a chair. Nevertheless, Ilildreth felt as if his had been on the point of achieving that act and, at the critical moment, some one had jerked the chair away. He was incred ibly jatrcd. COPVKIGUT, v the first side stieet, as if the imps of chagrin and pain with which he fought could be escaped if he only went fa;t and far enough. When the hour set for leaving drew near and he had to get back to the boat, there was only one thought clear in his mind: he must, he must try to retreat in good order. He was full of proud intentions of drawing off dis creetly, but not in any tco hasty a fashion, so ht did what he should have done if nothing had happened to enlighten him he went directly to Miss Neville's side as she stood at the rail. Kut Hildretb s military talents were evidently cf a circumscribed character. He had shown himself prompt in attack, active in pursuit, but he evidently hail not been planned with a view to executing mas '.erly retreats. As the girl beside him looked up with the smiling eyes which from the first time he had looked into them had held h's whole happiness tu their clear depths, Ilildreth turned abruptly awy to !.:dc the pain which tightened his heart. "A telegram for you, Mr. Hildrcth." Hildrcth mechanically took the envelope. He tor it open and read something he did riot know or care what. " No bad news, I hope," said Miss Neville anx iously; for as he looked up. she saw the trouble in his eyes. " No no," lie said absently, " But I'm afraid it is! " Ilildicth again bent his head over the telegram, in which, no matter what its contents mivht be, he sud denly recognised possibilities of relief. It contained, in fact, only these words: How about that local color? Am waiting for light on it. Wicks. Hildrcth's mind groped hurriedly among the pos sibilities which the receipt of an important telegram always opens up. " It's not really bad news." he finally said, " but it's rather urgent. I wonder where I can find Mr. Tolman." " He is over on the steamboat, I think. But I hope you won't have to leave us." "Humph!" mused Hildrcth bitterly. "I suppose she is politely suggesting that here is a chance to re move myself. Aloud he said: "I'm very much afraid that is just what I must do. I think I'll hunt up Mr. Tolman and find out where I can get a train." What ever doubts he might have had about Misi Neville's unwillingness to part with him, there was no question about his host's reluctance. But Hildrcth insisted upon the necessity of his reaching St. Louis more spcedl'y than the boat could. So it was amnged that he should he landed at Beards town. After he had been landed at the Beardstown leveo he looked around for some one to carry his luggaga to the station. " How can I get these things to the train? " he aked of the usual group of levee loungers. " Mcbbe you can get Haley's hack," one of the loungers observed, indicating a rickety landau reeling down the street toward the levee. Almost before it had stopped a woman jumped out and ran down to the water's edge, frantically waving her handkerchief though without result at the two boats which, after merely slowing down to let Hil dretb make a quick landing, had gone rapidly on until they were now well down the stream where, ten tnlle below, they were to tie up. " Didn't those boats land here? " she demanded. "Just slowed up to let this gentleman ashore." HHdreth lifted his hat as the woman turned toward him. " You " she seemed to be taking a rapid and some what puzzled survey of him "you were one of the pilots? " " No," Hildretb shook his head. " A mere guest" "Oh, of course" with an embarrassed laugh "I think you must be Mr. Hildreth. " I was on my way to catch the boat at Peoria," she went on, " my hus band wrote that he would be there to-night, and I thought I would surprise him." " Wc were to have been there," said Hildrcth, " but the plans were changed." "Oh, that's it! Well, as my train was coming into town here I had a glimpse of the boat and well, I doubt if the porter has caught his breath yet!" She laughed, but made a rueful grimace in the direc tion of the boats. " George Tolman, afen't you ashamed to run of? that way and leave your wife in this predicament!" she exclaimed. Hildreth jumped. Then he thought that his cars must have deceived him. " May I know," he asked feebly, " whom I have the pleasure of of wanting to serve? " "Why" with a look of surprise, almost of sum: cion "why, I I thought you were my husband's guest." " I was Mr. Tolman's guest," Hildrcth replied. "Well Air. Tolman is tnv husband." Your " Hildreth swallowed and tried again. "Your husband? Then you arc Mrs. Tolman?' " A not unnatural inference," was the ironical reply. "Then you're you're not dead?" " N not yet " regarding him in evident alarm and moving closer to the group of loungers. " Mrs. Tolman," Hildreth said hurriedly in a low tone, " I can see that you think I belong in an asylum, and I don't blame you. But will you please tell me once more are you Mrs. George Tolman, the wife of the owner of those boats and" he clinched the mat ter "the mother of little Harold? " "I ami " remarked the lady stiffly. " Well," said Hildreth, " I don't pretend to under stand it, but I assure you Vm delighted to find that you are the kind of an angel you are instead of the kind I thought you were." He turned to the deeply in terested spectators. " Those boats are to tie up about ten miles below here, and I want a good team to Uka this lady and myself down there." It was with some difficulty that Hildreth reassured Mrs. Tolman as to hi3 identity asd his sanity, bat when, in the course of their ride, ha had given her under the seal of secrecy an account of the comedy of errors which had shipwrecked him on the Beard towa levee, she regarded him with the sympathy with which a woman always rewards a man for whom he has no sentimental use herself when he lets her tat the secret of his romantic intentions. " I wonder," she said, with a shrewd smile, " whether Mr. Jenks will feel that you deserve a reward for find ing the ' lost ' Mrs. Tolman? " " Oh," protested Hildreth, " Jenks misunderstood me, of course." Later, Hildreth contented himself with discovering, b indirect tactics that the baldish young gentleman who had called Tolman a " widdy man," used the phrase of a figure of speech for any husband whose wife was not present, whether due to her actual de cease or, as in the case of Mrs. Tolman, to the sudden illness of a dear sister. As for Harold's declaration that his cousin Dolly was to be his " second mamma," that was a flattering recognition of Miss Neville's extreme desirability that Hildreth forgave its share in Ti discomfiture. It was not until he was bak in St. Louis, rnpttit -ously dividing his time betwien the hotne-boat and the jeweler who was making the engagement ring to order, that Hildreth found in hit norket the te'egram which had acquired and lost Importance with such ex traordinary suddenness. At first he tried to write a reply but tore up the feeble attempt, and finally wired the long-suffering Wicks as follow : Local color of levee extremely variable. Generally black, but rose-color at present. Particulars later Fred. Nbxi Week: Spoiled Dinner By Harriet Whitney Durbin